BRISTOL, TN - AUGUST 18: Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 18, 2018 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Kurt Busch 2018 season recap

By Pat DeCola | Published: December 18, 2018 10

Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images

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CHARLOTTE, NC - JANUARY 24: (EDITORS NOTE: THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN CREATED WITH THE USE OF DIGITAL FILTERS) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch poses for a portraitduring the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Media Tour at Charlotte Convention Center on January 24, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Streeter Lecka | Getty Images

Kurt Busch's 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season proved to be his final one with Stewart-Haas Racing, but it was one of his best to date.

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FORT WORTH, TX - APRIL 06: Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford, poses with the Busch Pole Award after qualifying on the pole for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 6, 2018 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Sean Gardner | Getty Images

After a rough start to the season with crashes in two of the first three races, Busch started to turn things around in April at Texas. The SHR driver captured his first pole of the season, leading 40 laps en route to a seventh-place finish.

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BROOKLYN, MI - JUNE 08: Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford, poses with the Busch Pole Award after qualifying for the pole position for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Firekeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 8, 2018 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Daniel Shirey | Getty Images

Finding his way through the spring, a hot streak kept rolling at Michigan, where Busch captured his second pole and led 46 laps before finishing third.

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LOUDON, NH - JULY 20: Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford, poses with the Cape Cod Cafe Pizza Pole Award after posting the fastest lap during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 20, 2018 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images

Busch's qualifying speed this past year was the real deal. He claimed his third Busch Pole Award at New Hampshire before leading 94 laps and finishing eighth.

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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images

All that good fortune in qualifying finally translated to an appearance in Victory Lane in August at Bristol. He only led 24 laps, but he led the one that counts the most. The victory raised his total to 30 career wins in NASCAR's top series.

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CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 28: Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford, poses with the Bojangles' Pole Award after posting the fastest lap during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on September 28, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images

Busch made history in the playoffs, becoming -- you guessed it -- the first driver to win the pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway's road course. He led seven laps and finished fifth in the race.

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TALLADEGA, AL - OCTOBER 13: Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford, poses with the pole award after qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 13, 2018 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Josh Hedges | Getty Images

Another pole came just two weeks later at Talladega SuperSpeedway, where Busch led 108 laps in an SHR-dominated race, but finished just 14th.

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PHOENIX, AZ - NOVEMBER 11: Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford, is escorted to the infield care center following an on-track incident during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Can-Am 500 at ISM Raceway on November 11, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images

Despite two top-seven runs in the Round of 8's first two races at Martinsville and Phoenix, Busch was eliminated at ISM Raceway at Phoenix after he was caught up in a wreck with Denny Hamlin at the front of the field.

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LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 28: NASCAR driver Kurt Busch accepts the Busch Pole Award during the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards at the Wynn Las Vegas on November 28, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) | Getty Images

David Becker | Getty Images

Busch accepted the Busch Pole Award during the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards on Nov. 28 at the Wynn Las Vegas.

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LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 29: Chase Elliott and Kurt Busch attend the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards Celebration at the Wynn Las Vegas on November 29, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images

Busch wrapped up a 2018 campaign with five poles and 22 top-10 finishes. He'll move to Chip Ganassi Racing in 2019 to drive the No. 1 Chevrolet.